Setting and Keeping Goals

Why are some goals so hard to keep? And why do we keep setting the same goals - again and again - even after we fail?

According to psychologist Dr. Janet Polivy, several new studies show that the human brain is “hard-wired” to be optimistic- which drives us to challenge ourselves, and believe that we can achieve new things. But Dr. Polivy says there are times when our optimism can get the best of us, and sabotage our chances of success because we tend to set unrealistically high expectations for ourselves. This helps explain why millions of us set resolutions each year but only 1-in-10 of us succeed.

Do you set personal goals or make resolutions? How well do achieve or keep them?

I'm alone in my houseI'm out on the townI'm at the bottom of the bottleI've been knockin' them downI can't get back up on my feetSee the lights all on the streetlight starsBut look what I foundLook what I foundAnother piece of my heartJust layin' on the groundAnother foggy dayI'm looking for a lightAnd my only prayerIs working tonightI can't get myself out of bedHear these voices in my head like a song...

I stopped making them decades ago (darn I'm old). I just try to be a little better than last year. If all of us make a 1% improvement every year and if we live to be 75, that's a 75% improvement. That's pretty good in my opinion.

I'm alone in my houseI'm out on the townI'm at the bottom of the bottleI've been knockin' them downI can't get back up on my feetSee the lights all on the streetlight starsBut look what I foundLook what I foundAnother piece of my heartJust layin' on the groundAnother foggy dayI'm looking for a lightAnd my only prayerIs working tonightI can't get myself out of bedHear these voices in my head like a song...

Sounds like a logical, common sense approach Easy.Thanks for sharing that song. Haven't heard of it before so will have to give it a listen.

Quoting Kalbi54:I stopped making them decades ago (darn I'm old). I just try to be a little better than last year. If all of us make a 1% improvement every year and if we live to be 75, that's a 75% improvement. That's pretty good in my opinion.

Imagine the peace and harmony if everyone undertook that goal!Thanks for stopping by and sharing your perspective.

"This helps explain why millions of us set resolutions each year but only 1-in-10 of us succeed."

Just think, this is a big number, assume there are 300 million Americans ( not to disregard any other population) and 10% of them keep a resolution, look at that number, 30,000,000 will have done a good deed. never set goals that are easy, then the rewards are not as worthy,

A goal can be simple as , just being a better person, doing a bit better than last year.. don't have to say …" I am going to lose 40 pounds and go to gym each day, " the simple ones that you have a realistic chance of achieving are very good goals, but think, some where in you life there is something that you can make better, make life more comfy, find one of these and try hard, be a 10%er

Being responsible on a daily basis gives me the bestsatisfaction and eliminates that sense of letting myself down.Resolutions are just a last minutereminder that we should havebeen doing something instinctivelythroughout the year.

Quoting s2ndegree:Being responsible on a daily basis gives me the bestsatisfaction and eliminates that sense of letting myself down.Resolutions are just a last minutereminder that we should havebeen doing something instinctivelythroughout the year.

You hit the nail on the head with the image accompanying your post^."A goal without a plan is just a wish."

One of the reasons many goals fail is that we set hefty, often vapid goals, with no clear plan to actually achieve them. It's better to break your goals up into small actions that you can easily get your head around.

Focusing on these steps will leave you better off than setting general goals.

I can usually set and meet my goals, but that's because I know myself well enough to set them in small increments and don't beat myself up if I misstep. There's always a new day and a new chance to get things done.

I often think about things I'd like to accomplish, then I write them down on a list. The list is often long.

If I achieve 50% of what I write down for a day, I'm happy. Seeing all those things crossed off on a list deceives my mind a little, but hey, euphoria is good, right?

The goals I don't achieve as fast as I'd like are usually the ones that are the most unpleasant or require the most work. Go figure.

One.step.at.a.time.

L

The person who dumps garbage into your mind will do you considerably more harm than the person who dumps garbage on your floor, because each load of mind garbage negatively impacts your possibilities and lowers your expectations ~~~ Zig Ziglar

Quoting JoshRook7:You hit the nail on the head with the image accompanying your post^."A goal without a plan is just a wish."

One of the reasons many goals fail is that we set hefty, often vapid goals, with no clear plan to actually achieve them. It's better to break your goals up into small actions that you can easily get your head around.

Focusing on these steps will leave you better off than setting general goals.

Yes I agree that an action plan is necessary in order to help achieve your goals.Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

Quoting mc_justmc:I can usually set and meet my goals, but that's because I know myself well enough to set them in small increments and don't beat myself up if I misstep. There's always a new day and a new chance to get things done.

That’s a great attitude and approach.Thanks 🙏 for sharing your perspective.

Goals are really important as they are all over the business world and personal world. In business I made goals that were attainable but then stretched them a bit further to help obtain growth. Personally my goals are realistic and few. I have had the goal to lose weight for a 100 years and it has only partially worked so I don't to it anymore. A realistic goal this year is to get naked in an adult theater, nude private party, nude beach or nudist club at least 8 times. All possible. I reached 5 last year and reached that goal. I am trying for growth now.

Quoting chiefconsultant6:Goals are really important as they are all over the business world and personal world. In business I made goals that were attainable but then stretched them a bit further to help obtain growth. Personally my goals are realistic and few. I have had the goal to lose weight for a 100 years and it has only partially worked so I don't to it anymore. A realistic goal this year is to get naked in an adult theater, nude private party, nude beach or nudist club at least 8 times. All possible. I reached 5 last year and reached that goal. I am trying for growth now.

Yes the goals we set for business and personally are quite different. You certainly have an interesting mix!

Quoting Tmptrzz:I hear ya hun and I don't do either, I just live one day at a time as we only have one life to live and we should enjoy and make the best of it as we can. I hope your enjoying your weekend..

Totally agree with you!Here's it's freezing cold with lots of snow expected so staying tucked inside as much as possible until it passes.Hope that you continue to feel better each day.

As a revelation I have discovered in the past few years about reaching your goals is on the level of time and commitment that you are willing to commit. This can be accomplished when you set aside a reasonable amount of specific time and place to do the work. Key word is, Work! I can easily equate this example to that of taking an online class. When I took my online nutrition class last semester, I knew that I needed to set aside days and times to complete it and to get a good grade. Once I made a commitment that I needed to treat the online class like I would need to go to a classroom, reaching my goals was made possible.If I have goals in life, which I have a few major ones, the best way to achieve them is setting aside the proper amount of time in my busy schedule and do the WORK! There may be some detours along the way, but as long as you keep your eye on the prize, you can achieve your realistic goals in life.

Quoting 1Sexygoodguy11:As a revelation I have discovered in the past few years about reaching your goals is on the level of time and commitment that you are willing to commit. This can be accomplished when you set aside a reasonable amount of specific time and place to do the work. Key word is, Work! I can easily equate this example to that of taking an online class. When I took my online nutrition class last semester, I knew that I needed to set aside days and times to complete it and to get a good grade. Once I made a commitment that I needed to treat the online class like I would need to go to a classroom, reaching my goals was made possible.If I have goals in life, which I have a few major ones, the best way to achieve them is setting aside the proper amount of time in my busy schedule and do the WORK! There may be some detours along the way, but as long as you keep your eye on the prize, you can achieve your realistic goals in life.

Thanks for sharing your perspective on setting and achieving goals.I agree that it takes time, commitment and sustained effort. Good luck with your ongoing studies!